


No Rest for the Wicked

by Real Life Inspires (Teddy_Feathers)



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - mafiatale, F/M, Reader-Insert, Slow Burn, or maybe just a mob AU?, probably boring
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-08-08
Updated: 2016-11-01
Packaged: 2018-08-07 12:01:47
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 6,687
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7714165
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Teddy_Feathers/pseuds/Real%20Life%20Inspires
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Reader runs a little place called There. Cafe by day bar by night placed just between the good side of town and the bad. She works too hard, tries to help out the street kids as best she can, and has a plan. See gang wars are pretty common in the city, monsters and human alike. But there's a difference between a mob and a gang. A mafia is based around the concept of family, of taking care of your own. That's all Reader wants to do really, and she's willing to make a deal with the right group to make it happen.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> "I said your such a sweet young thing,  
> Why'd you do this to yourself?  
> She looked at me and this is what she said,  
> There ain't no rest for the wicked,  
> Money don't grow on trees.  
> I got bills to pay, I got mouths to feed,  
> There ain't nothing in this world for free.  
> I know I can't slow down,  
> I can't hold back though you know I wish I could.  
> No there ain't no rest for the wicked,  
> Until we close our eyes for good."  
> \- Cage the Elephant

She knew what they were there for the moment they walked in the door. Didn’t even have to break anything to get her attention.

She just smiled at her current customer, waved someone in from the kitchen, and went to usher them up the stairs.

The building was an old fancy house that’d been obviously renovated to suite the purpose it served now. Sans waved Paps over to the bar incase this was a trap. His bro gave an easy grin, ordered a breakfast muffin, and started chatting up a little old lady.

No one else took them for what they were.

He followed her up, noticing she turned on every light she came across along the way. He took it as an invitation and glanced around but there were only neat, ordinary, if small, bedrooms empty of both people and personal effects.

The last room made up for it though, by being a certifiable disaster area. The girl could be hiding an entire army under the clothes that obscured all but an obviously slept in sliver of the bed, the dirty clothes that she kicked out of the way, to the pile of papers that were either functioning as or obscuring a small desk.

Sans stayed in the doorway, observing the apparently organized mess as she pulled out a sheet of paper and escaped the obstacle course that was the bedroom.

"These are my conditions and I'd either like something in writing from an authority figure or a verbal contract with witnesses if you lot find a paper trail distasteful.”

He blinked at the neatly typed paper she was thrusting at him. He stared first at it and then at her, happy to see the flush rising to her face because it meant she wasn’t stupid. This was ridiculous. Some girl making demands of the family. He lifted one socket incredulously and she looked away first. "'s’cuse me?"

To her credit the paper didn’t waver, though she was now staring at his chest instead of meeting his eyes challengingly. "I’m sorry, but if I'm going to be paying for protection then it's going to come with piece of mind."

The blush hadn’t faded any and when he chuckled it darkened to the point she looked like a tomato. The paper betrayed her light trembles and he had to wonder at the owner being ballsy enough to make demands but being a coward enough to send this little girl to do it in their place.

"Kiddo that ain’t how this sort of thing is done. Now why don’t you scamper off to get the owner and let the adults handle this." He’d give the owner a piece of his mind too. The family left noncombatants out of business.

The girl’s eyes shot up to meet his again. "I am the owner you stupid thug, now take the damn list -" she shoved it against his chest knocking him off his casual perch against the door jam, " - and go give it to whoever’s in charge." She brushed past him angrily, stomping along the hallway muttering under her breath.

It was shock that kept him rooted in place. Human intent was an easy thing to sense, and if there was one thing he was good at it was dodging. But the girly didn’t feel aggressive at all despite the angry glare she’d leveled at him. She stopped and turned around to see him staring at her where shed left him and the indignation kind of deflated.

She looked real small, Sans noticed, despite the fact they were about the same height.

"Sorry. Look I know it’s weird, but they’re going to want to see that." She looked worried for a moment before shrugging. "Or you know, they'll want you to comeback and burn the place down as a lesson or something. Either way I have work to do, so if you could please?" She gestured to the stairs.

While she talked he checked her states. She was clean and the only real feeling he got about her was 'busy' so he shrugged and ambled down the ahead of the girl.

Regardless of what his boss thought of this Sans was coming back. Leaving a young girl to handle the big bad mafia when you knew they were coming? Whatever their intentions they were just asking for a bad time.

 

* * *

 

 

You watched the two men go, chest tight. You knew the stories; it was only a matter of time before one the gangs moved into your neighborhood. Now to see what sort of people it’d been. Well. You were prepared either way.

Will watched you anxiously as you walked around the counter, and you gave him a tight smile. "Its fine, just some old family friends stopping by for something my parents left them." His expression brightened immediately. As a lie it was a decent one. It explained their nice clothes, why you took a strange man upstairs when the rooms were reserved for your special project. You didn’t let just anyone up there.

You liked nice neat tidy lies like that.  

Closing was tense on your part though no one else seemed to notice. You’d spread the word that you’d be closed tomorrow and the rooms would also be closed for the night unfortunately.

Just in case.

The place usually only closed for four hours between two and six. Usually you were dead to the world at this time. Tonight you wondered if you were going to be dead to the world in a more permanent sense.

You waited perched on the bar - it was your bar damn it you could sit on it if you wanted - and right at four in the morning, after all the bars would be closed and the cafes wouldn’t have opened yet, came a knock on the door.

“It’s open!” You called out, glad that the moment had finally come. Either they were here to force your compliance or they were here to make a deal.

Either way you’d made up your mind.

First came in the tall fellow from this afternoon. He gave you a smile and a wave and you returned it not seeing the harm in being friendly. He canvased the place, even heading upstairs and checking the back lot before calling out the all clear from the kitchen.

The second person to come in was only a head shorter than the first. Her long red hair was braided tightly to her head, and she had an eyepatch tied at a jaunty angle on her face. She wore a pants suit like everyone else you’d seen so far and she radiated authority…But she stepped to the side.

 The next one through the door was fuzzy. Monsters were a common sight nowadays. So you hadn’t really blinked at the skeletons or the fish lady but this guy was something else. Large - wide not just tall. Long horns arching up from his forehead and a golden mane.

You wanted to pet him. Rude probably but he was just so _fluffy_.

As he walks towards the bar you saw the condescending thug from before trailed in and leaned against the door.

Idly you wondered if the two skeletons guarding either exit were there to keep others from coming in and interrupting, or to keep you from making a run for it.

The fuzzy man stuck out a paw to you and hopping off the bar you took it carefully. He dwarfed you and you felt even more like a little kid playing at being an adult than you normally did.

“Howdy there little one. We have come, as requested, to make a deal. Are your parents at home?”

He was cordial at least. You’d been expecting this honestly. People were always shocked.

You scooped your credentials off the bar and handed them to mister fluffybuns. Everyone else was acting like a bodyguard so it only stood to reason he was the guy who could make this happen.

Or you know, order someone to break your legs.

"They’re dead. This is my place." He looked confused and then terribly sad. His eyes were highly unfair really. If he was the guy to make a deal with they were pretty shrewd. Big doe eyes in a fuzzy face. Who could say no to that face?

"I am sorry for your loss my child." He honestly sounded like it too. Made you want to console him and they were your parents. "However, we need to speak with the-"

You tapped the papers and then gestured to one of the tables. The chairs while a little short should fit him, if barely. He took your invitation and sat, though the door guards remained where they were and the woman moved to stand directly behind mister fluffybuns chair.

She caught you looking at her curiously as her – ears? Fins? – seemed to flap slowly with her breathing, and yet she had very obvious gills cut into her neck so shouldn’t she be suffocating? She gave you a large smile showing off far too many razor sharp teeth and you looked away. Its rude to stare.

The papers were spread out. Identification papers, birth certificate, liquor and other business licenses all in your name. The problem was genetics. You looked like you should still be in school and your slapdash way of dressing didn’t really help any. You'll be happy about it when your older people always told you.

Yeah right.

Finished looking at your official documentation, he slid them back over to you. Before he released them he gave you a hard considering look. A cross between your dad daring you to lie to his face, and a man who was much more dangerous than the impression his sad eyes had given you. "These are not forgeries, correct?"

It was such a ridiculous question, you couldn’t possibly make convincing fakes, but something in the way he asked you the undertone of threat had you frozen unable to answer.

There were ways to get fakes or make them after all. And altering a document would be much easier than creating one.

The moment stretched on longer than it should have and you realized how guilty you must look. Clearing your suddenly dry throat you answered. "No. No, of course not."

When you imagined one of the many gangs moving into your neighborhood, you really hadn’t thought you’d need to prove your sincerity to them. In fact your musings on the subject had always been a mix of you threatening to close your shop leaving the building empty – and therefore unprofitable – and them tearing it down around you as a warning to the rest of the businesses.

Instead he gave you an easy smile, pulled out your printed list of demands and you both talked shop.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have 6000 words so even though I prob should space this out a bit, I'm just going to post everything and ya'll can tell me whatcha think. ko?

Sans leaned against the door, head and hat tilted down as if he hadn’t a care in the world. He had several in fact.

The big boss had insisted on coming out to see the human business for himself. Something about a show of trust or fostering a sense of community in their territory.

Then he brushed off Undyne’s security measures and protocols. Insisting it had to be tonight, no they couldn’t scope out the place more properly beforehand, and he’d only be taking a minimal detail.

All this over a tiny little protection racket.

So yeah. Sans had a lot of concerns, because whatever had been on that piece of paper was acting as a hell of a good bait.

But the big boss wasn’t stupid.

He checked the kid’s papers and her soul before getting into it. Woulda been better to drag the girly to the big house to talk business. After all they only had two hours before morning traffic started... But that would have involved kidnapping and this family didn’t involve kids if they could help it.

Big boss had verified you weren’t a kid though, and now that he was listening to you talk business sans had to admit you didn’t sound like one.

Be easier if humans wore stripes like monsters did instead of whenever the hell they felt like it.

"I'm sorry," she said for what sounded like the hundredth time tonight. He wasn’t really paying attention to the conversation. Even so he was getting tired of hearing it. The girly was inordinately fond of that phrase, but despite the submissiveness that should have indicated she just kept on arguing. At this rate they might _have_ to kidnap her to finish their little talk.

"But this isn’t negotiable. You can add on all the demands in the world, ask whatever you want of me but my list stands or I'll shut down my shop and move out of the city and I won’t rent this place to anyone." She didn’t sound smug when she dropped what was obviously her trump card. She sounded dead tired.

The screech of a chair scraping away from the table caused him to flick his eyes up. The girly had gone over to the bar and it looked like she was making coffee. "I mean I guess you could hurt me and make me agree to take it off the list, or just do whatever you want regardless," she pulled out five mugs and seemed oblivious to the wince her causal words had inflicted on the big boss, "but protection has to come with peace of mind right?" 

She picked up the tray and passed out the coffee as if she were running on automatic. When she got to him he saw the heavy bags under her eyes and how pale she looked. Sans had worked with humans before. It took more than one sleepless night to look that bad.

She returned from the kitchen after presumably passing off Papyrus' mug and set down her now empty tray. She didn’t sit down as the big boss pondered her demands.

“A compromise then. For your peace of mind and mine.”

* * *

 

Deal done they’d all left, but Sans the skeleton thug had returned as agreed right before opening.

“Wait a second kiddo, ain’t this your room?” You flushed at the nickname because you weren’t a kid and it’d be nice if he stopped treating you like one.

You’d spent the unscheduled day off cleaning your room and it showed. The bed was made with fresh sheets, the desk was visible, the floor was empty, and your closet no longer looked like a war zone had exploded in it.

A new cot was under the small room’s only window so the heads of the beds were touching. It was even more cramped, but you figured it’d be livable for a week or two until things had gotten straightened out.

Instead of answering you gestured to the actual bed and said, "You can have the bed, I’ll take the cot. The dresser on the left in the closet is empty, and if you need more hangers let me know I’ve got extras in the attic.”

"This some sortta joke? You got like ten rooms up here."

You shrugged and dropped his bag on the bed. It was small like all of them but plushy. "They’re taken. Once your boss -" you stopped and corrected yourself still getting used to technically being a part of the mafia of all things. "I'm sorry, The Big Boss, starts finding ways to employ and places for everyone to go the rooms will empty and you can have dibs on the first free one."

You frowned knowing that you’d probably break that promise. Runaways and homeless kids knew they could come here but you’d managed this long juggling rooms and people. Somehow you’d add an extra person into the mix.

"Showers are across the hall. We have two hot water heaters, and industrial sized one and a regular forty gallon tank, but if you could please limit your showers to fifteen minutes when the rooms are full? I'm sorry for the inconvenience, but some of my guests haven’t had access to the shower for a while and there are a lot of us."

He plopped down on the bed beside his bag, legs crossed as he leaned against the wall. "Geeze girly. You sure do apologize a lot."

Instinctively you went to apologize again, but then stopped. What could you possibly say instead?

"You really sorry or ya just waiting for someone to give you a reason to be?" His eyes watched you carefully but all you could do is shrug.

"I'll leave you to get settled in then. I’ve got to go open the bar. Feel free to use anything. I'm s-" you cut off.

Awkwardly you slipped into the hallway and headed downstairs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oh and I will get around to explaining what the deal she made exactly entails...


	3. Chapter 3

"You slept at all today kiddo?" Sans let his face stretch into an easy smirk as the girly jumped at seeing him sitting on her bar. He could see the gears turn in her head but instead of commenting on his magic trick she made a shooing motion with her hands.

"Off the bar please, it’s not for sitting." He hopped down and leaned against it watching her unlock and slide open the doors to the alcohol cabinet.

"You did." Last night, this morning however you wanted to see it. She paused before heading back to the kitchen.

"I'm sorry, but it’s my bar." Fair enough he supposed. He watched her heat up the grill and check her stock, adding things she was low on to the giant whiteboard on the wall.

She hurried out to the main room again, hardly waiting for him to move out of her way before heading over to the window and flicking on the open sign.

Before she had made it back to the bar the door jiggled and a kid - this time he was positive it was a kid despite the lack of stripes - came rushing in and hopped onto a stool. "The rainbow song!" He demanded imperiously. The girly just grinned and knelt behind the counter to turn on a sound system, and some rock song started playing.

A few other strays came in, ages between small and somewhere around her age. She brought out some stew and fed the kids before sending them upstairs.

Others filtered in and must have been regulars as they didn’t blink at the sight of a dozen or so scruffy street urchins sitting at the bar. They put in their own orders and nursed their drinks, occasionally making song requests.

Somehow the girly managed though, she looked relieved when the door chimed and a guy in an apron wondered in.

"Wow an hour late and you’ve already replaced me? I see how it is." He teased pointing at Sans who had propped himself against the wall behind the bar.

The girly grinned and shook her head. "Not a chance Will. This is that friend of the family I told you about. Will this is Sans. Sans, Will."

Friend of the family? Well that was a cute way of lying. Worked though. He tipped his hat at the guy who gave him a wave before slipping into the kitchen.

* * *

Closing came at two sharp; you and Will had the routine down so well that even as the last customer hobbled his drunken ass out the door you had finished cleaning.

Will left and finally, _finally_ , you could crash.

"You alright girly?" You jumped and whirled around, honestly having forgotten about the skeleton who’d been watching you all night. He might as well have been a hat rack for most of it. You wondered how many people had mistaken him for a prop.

He’d picked a place and just stood there. Didn’t even breath. Did he need to?

Oh what about food? You’d taken care of your guests of course but you’d completely forgotten about him.

"I'm sorry!" You blurted adamantly. "Did you want something to eat or drink?" He blinked at you but you were too tired to find that odd. "You didn’t have to stay down here all night, I am so sorry."

Your eyes burned. You were exhausted and things had been going so well lately. Why’d you have to go and screw it up?  They’d probably call the deal off entirely you couldn’t even be bothered to take care of their people.

"Hey girly calm down. If I’d wanted something I’da said. No need for the water works."

Right. He was right. You swiped an arm angrily across your eyes. "I’m sorry." You repeated.

"Speaking of eating I didn’t see you eat neither, so hows about a midnight snack for the both of us?" You nodded. Right. That was smart. No big deal. You’d just been running on too little sleep for so long it was making you emotional. You went to go make something but the skeleton firmly maneuvered you into a stool and went to the kitchen himself.

You couldn’t just sit there so you made a mug of hot chocolate and grabbed a glass of water for yourself. Never mind food when was the last time you drank anything?

Sans came back with two hotdogs - you had hot dogs? - and you took one, sliding over the mug of hot coco.

"You take care of everybody else but yourself dontcha kiddo?" You swallowed your last bite. And glared at him. "For the last time I'm not a kid." Food had made a world of difference. You decided to leave the dishes till the morning.

"I'll stop calling you one when you stop dressing like one." His tone was teasing but you supposed he was right.

Must be hard to take someone seriously as in charge of you if they could be mistaken for a kid. "Sorry." You muttered. Suppose you could make an effort to look the part tomorrow. Laundry was actually put away for once so you should be able to find a nice blouse and some slacks.

Leading the way upstairs you checked each and every room to make sure the kids were okay. Your mafia man shadow followed quietly until finally you collapsed on the cot in your room, not bothering to change. It didn’t matter that it wasn’t as comfy as your bed you were out like a light.

Only to be woken up by your alarm at five thirty.

It buzzed in your pocket and you turned it off, grabbing a less than random selection as you remembered that you were going to try to look semiprofessional today. Your shower was fifteen minutes of heaven, as the kids weren’t up yet and you had the room to yourself. You leaned your forehead against the cool tiles as the hot water massaged your back. Afterwards you were still tired but much more refreshed.

Blouse, slacks, and even a black button up vest that was left over from some Halloween costume. Hair was wet but otherwise you had to admit you looked pretty sharp. Enough to almost pass as your age even.

You went back to your room and dropped yesterday's clothes on your bed, only to turn and be faced with the eye sockets of a very groggy looking skeleton.

"The hell are you doing up? Only been in bed maybe three hours." It’d been less than that but you didn’t feel the need to point that out.

"I’m sorry I didn’t mean to wake you. Feel free to go back to sleep, if anything happens I'll yell." Really he didn’t have to follow you everywhere. If anything happened he’d be right upstairs.

Still not looking all there he collapsed back into his pillow face first, and you went to start the day.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> and thats all she wrote.... well not really, but I don't have enough for another chapter and I need to add a few things anyways. let me know what you think. or don't. ev ev. have a wonderful day.

It was around eight that Sans was rudely awoken again. This time by children. Pushing fighting screaming laughing and playing. Loudly.

He climbed his own way out of bed, grabbed a new suit out of the closet, and picked his way across the hall around all the kids underfoot. Most stopped and stared at him but seeing as he was a monster and they probably didn’t see his ilk on this side of town every day, he let them look. ‘Sides he didn’t figure the girly would be too happy if he freaked out the kids. She was so protective of them after all.

Reminded him of Toriel and the little boss the way she checked on them before bed.

The bathroom was like the rest of the upstairs floor, divided into tiny stalls so that there was more to go around. It was clean though, and most of the kids seemed to be done so he got his shower and got dressed. Surprisingly the place was cleaner and emptier when he came out of the bathroom than when he went in it. Apparently the kids knew enough to clean up after themselves.

He ambled down the stairs, not surprised to find the place just now slowing down. Will was manning the bar and the girly was passing out bagged lunches to the kids.

She cleaned up pretty nice he had to admit, almost looked worthy of being part of the family. Least until he noticed that the black and white pattern on her vest was actually stripes.

She looked was handing the last bag off but when he got close the little boy gave him wide eyes and tugged on her vest. "Is he your boyfriend?"  He said in a loud whisper.

"Now why would you ask a think like that?" The kid stubbornly waited for the answer.

"No. He’s not. He’s just a family friend." The kid looked skeptically between the two of them.

"He was in your room." She flushed brilliantly for a moment as it hit her how things must look. The kid, now satisfied, took off running out the door with the rest. She smiled fondly after the kid, redness fading.

"Sorry. Kids." Was the explication she offered and while no more was needed, he couldn’t help but take the opportunity to tease her more.

"Still dressing like one I see." She gave him her angry glare and huffed, stopping over to Will.

"Need a second opinion. Do I look like a little kid to you?" The guy looked her up and down and then frowned a bit. 

"Well. You are wearing stripes." Shock and confusion filtered over her face and when she glanced back over at Sans where he was leaning against the staircase he couldn’t help but snicker.

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"Monster culture hasn’t really hit this side of town yet, but because of them the new trend is that only kids wear stripes."

He watched the girly flounder somewhere between worried and embarrassed. Finally she leaned over and said seriously “Almost all of my clothes have stripes on them.”

The cafe closed around four and Sans followed her upstairs again. She’d removed the vest, and it was easier to tell that she was an adult... But she was worrisomely scrawny. Oh the shirt was tucked in and it probably wasn’t that obvious to a casual observer but Sans had more or less been watching the girly all day. She’d been caught up in work and even now didn’t seem to remember that he was there.

But when she twisted or stretched, or when she knelt down to switch songs he could see it. How exposed her bones where pressed against the cloth, how the fabric billowed in places it should have touched something.

That was normal for Papyrus, who actively used his magic and didn’t let it pool lazily around his body like Sans did. It was not normal for a creature with fleshy bits. He watched as the girly dug in her closet, pulling out and putting to the side the few things she had that didn’t have stripes.

"Do you wear those to give the illusion of weight?" She never answered his questions, but he asked them anyways. Her reactions told him more than her words would have anyways. Plus she was kinda cute when she was surprised.

The girly suppressed him by shaking her head. "I just like stripes." She gave her side of the closet another run through but only managed to find four non striped shirts. She shrugged, which accented how small her shoulders were, and then climbed into the cot, not even bothering to move the clothes she’d left there this morning.

Her breath evened out immediately. She hadn’t eaten anything again. How long had she been doing this for anyways?

Sans watched her sleep for a bit before nodding to himself. Now was as good a time as any to give his first report to the big boss.

* * *

 

You woke again to the angry buzz of your phone. Your clothes were wrinkly from being slept in but they were serviceable enough.

The kids ate and went upstairs; the eldest would see to it that everyone showered and that their clothes were tossed into the wash. Will came in, he worked the closing shifts for both the day business and night, and finally you could relax... And notice that your skeleton shadow was missing.

While you hopped he had stayed upstairs and rested, the rest of you remembered that you had forgotten to feed him again and that you were being a terrible host. So you grabbed a tray, put a bowl of stew in it - you always had stew on year round - and a glass of milk and took it upstairs. He wasn’t in the room. He wasn't in the shower. He wasn’t even in the kitchen.

Had something happened?

You set the tray down and called the number you were supposed to call if anything happened.

It rang once and then clicked. "Um hello?"

"Whaddya want?" The voice at the other end sounded grumpy and you realized how late it was by normal people’s schedules.

"I’m sorry. But I lost Sans?"

There was a pause followed by a "Hold on a damn minute."

The voice was muffled but the sheer volume made it clear what she was saying. "Sans ya lazy fuck, why ain’t you doing yer damn job?"

The rest of the talking was held at a normal level and you couldn’t make it out. Finally she came back on the line. "Punk ya still there?"

Maybe you had over reacted? "Yes. I'm sorry."

The voice was instantly back to being ridiculously loud, and you dropped the phone in shock. "I'll give ya something to be sorry about! We'll be there in ten!"

The call ended but you made no move to pick up the phone. Instead you debated closing early for the night, but there were the kids to consider as well and ten minutes wasn’t long to get everyone cleared out. Surely even if you’d somehow pissed them off they’d only take it out on you.

That was the deal after all.

You didn’t question if they’d stick to their word. The mafia was only as good as its word, threats and promises alike.

Business was slow anyway, you thought pouring another shot for a woman sitting at the bar. Couldn't remember when you got down here but you managed to keep working anyways. Loosing time was nothing new to you. Sunday would come eventually and the day of rest would recharge you enough to make it through another week.

If the mafia wasn’t on its way to kill you anyways.

The door jangled and speak of the devil, in walked sans followed by a couple of monsters you didn’t know. 

Then again before a few days ago you hadn’t known any.

One you recognized, the fish lady. She wasn’t smiling today. She looked upset and even frowned when she spotted you.

She exchanged a glance with Sans who shrugged and wondered over to you, his usual smile looking small and fake.  "Sorry girly but this is for your own good." he shoved you backwards and you fell, not onto the floor but into the cot.

You looked around and it was your room alright. Even the tray you brought up earlier was still there.

Sans followed your line of sight and sighed. "Made that for me and didn’t eat yourself did you?" You gave a halfhearted shrug and muttered "Sorry." The only thing you could think to do.

From the door way came a throaty growl. "You should be punk. The big boss has a lot of hope invested here and you can’t even be bothered to ask for help?”


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> slow slow slow. don't mind me.

Sans could tell that the girly didn’t get it. She sat on her cot blinking up at the two of them as if waiting for them to hurry up and punish her so she could go back to work.

Irritated he rapped a fist against her head a few times. "Anybody home?" She rubbed her head and shrugged.

“I'm  –”

“yeah sorry we heard. doesn’t change the fact you’re putting yourself, us, and your street kiddos in danger. thought you understood what you were signing up for kiddo.”

Sans could see something crumple in her. This was all too much for her he supposed. That’s understandable really. Such a small thing to be taking care of so much. Happens they could get some people to cover and -

“I don’t understand. I’ve been managing this place fine on my own and I’ve got Will.” Her voice sounded so small like the rest of her. The way she was hunched up showed her spine, her sleeves were rolled up showing just how scrawny she was. It was amazing she hadn’t wound up in a hospital yet.

Undyne snorted "You call this fine? You and sans look like you could be related. How’s it gonna look to the other human run businesses if a human under our protection dies from overworking? They’ll invite another family in so fast you won’t have time to say turf war. Thought you wanted to keep your street brats outta that?"

“look it'll be okay. we'll talk to asgore get some extra help and rework the deal.”

“Rework the deal? You think I can’t uphold my side?”

“no shame in it, you've just bitten off more than you can chew. we'll take care of everything kiddo so re-”

She stood. "I am not a kid and you two goons are going to stop treating me like one right now."

Undyne was the head of operations and protection and took exception to being labeled a goon. "The hell did you just call me brat?"

The girly matched her glare for glare but again he could sense no intent. Odd that.

"A goon which is what you’re acting like. The deal was this is my place and I'll run it as I see fit. If you have concerns you bring them to me and I'll address them as necessary. I have not collapsed or broken my side of the deal and I will not let you bully me into allowing you to break yours."

Not a single apology in all that Sans noted.

Undyne broke the staring contest by laughing. "You got some fire in you after all. Alrighty then we'll let this play out honestly. Just hold up your end.”

"Yes. Of course I will. I’m sorry for having caused you any undo concern."

Undyne left.

Before Sans could think of anything to say he was hit with the same sort of glare as Undyne. Sans had been glared at by some of the best of the business and wasn’t too bothered by hers.

“Eat.”

He picked up his tray and started eating. The milk was warm now and the stew cold, but he’d had worse.

“I’m sorry but that was uncalled for.”

“No it wasn’t kiddo. Undyne wasn’t exaggerating. You know.”

He had noticed every time he called her kiddo she eventually got mad enough to say what was on her mind. Which is what he wanted now.

“You tried to stage a coup!”

“Still not seeing any reason why I shouldn’t.”

And it was true. She might have impressed Undyne with her passion or attitude but she hadn’t impressed him. She had talked a good game but was she willing to act in the best interests of the family?

Huffing, she plopped on the cot. “I take care of my business.”

True. Somehow she’d been taking care of a handful of street kids and technically two businesses just between her and one other person. Somehow she’d seen the way the wind was blowing and had already not only established a plan of action, but made a strategic alliance with his family… The problem wasn’t her work ethic or sense of responsibility that was sure.

All the same, there was a serious issue here. And until it was dealt with, he wasn’t in the wrong thinking she was a kid. “no you don’t.” He could see that had nettled the girly’s pride. Good. “you’re understaffed and underweight and not utilizing the resources that are available to you.”

“My weight is _n-_ ”

“ _every_ bit my concern girly.” He ate his last bite of stew and set the tray aside. “you’re part of the dreemurr family now. and if you don’t have any concern for your own well being, we can’t trust you in the long term, which means we’re wasting time with you in charge now.”

His sockets stared into hers, and she looked away first.

“I’m _Fine_.” She practically spat out. The girly could be mad all she wanted but facts were facts.

Sans gestured to the bed. "You’re _not_ fine and if you don’t get some rest you _will_ be sorry, that’s a **promise**." She kind of collapsed in on herself and nodded.

“This family really takes care of its people right?” She had gone quiet again.

He nodded easily, rising from the bed with the tray. “not likely anyone else is going to look out for us. can’t trust your family who can you trust?”

She was silent for a long moment. “Yourself and what you can control.”

“geez girly, no wonder you’re a mess.” Sans couldn’t fathom it. He’d always had Papyrus to look out for, and who always had his back. Trust didn’t come easy to him either, but … “look. give us a chance and we’ll do the same for you. otherwise this whole thing ain’t gonna work.”

Slowly she nodded, finally meeting his sockets again. “Call someone to take cover the bar tonight and someone to help in the café tomorrow. I’ll be up for that and if they do well enough they’re hired. Will knows the number for the cab service if you need it. He can also fill you in on the house drinks.” Taking a deep steadying breath she gave him a much more impressive glare than the one she’d leveled at him earlier. “Don’t. Wake. The kids.”

Apparently she was finished. She lay down and faced the wall, dropping off almost as instantly as he’d been known to do.

 

Undyne was manning the bar when he carried the tray down. She clapped him roughly on the shoulder. "Not often we get to be the good guys, but I'm thinking it’s a good thing the big boss started here."

Sans shrugged. Couldn’t say either way. No need to get hopes up after all. Will seemed both delighted and suspicious of her presence, as she’d essentially moved in and taken over the bar.

"Who are you guys again?"

"Family friends, we came to help." That odd mix of relief and confusion passed over his face again.

"She doesn’t ask for help. _Ever_. I basically had to hire myself."

Undyne gave him a threatening smile. "You calling us liars?"

Sans decided it was time to defuse the situation "no need to be koi undyne. look will, we ain’t up to nothing fishy. Just when I stopped by with my brother and saw how poorly the girly was taking care of herself, I had to make sure she was looked after." The guy nodded probably because it fit with the ‘facts’ he already knew.

"Well good. Lord knows she could use it."


End file.
